Water-reaction motor



Feb. 1, 1966 R. WlLLE 3,232,047

. WATERREAGTION MOTOR Filed July 9, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ncshm Run 4- Nuhm Feb. 1, 1966 R. WlLLE 3,232,047

WATER-REACTION MOTOR Filed July 9, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2a

Fig.2c

J17 venfor: Rudd W6 Ha L Hid-uh R Hts-hm Feb. 1, 1966 R. WlLLE 3,232,047

WATERREACTION MOTOR Filed July 9, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.3A

F I'g. 3

I T Jnvenfor: ml; w u.

Muhmflus Nuh Feb. 1, 1966 R. WILLE 3,232,047

WATER-REACTION MOTOR Filed July 9, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

WATER WATER COMBUSTION CHAMBER @womausrrow CHAMBER F i g. 5 Fig. 4

Jn venforf Rubi- Wilu "1 uke. Ross 0 Hcshm United States Patent 2 Claims. "(anew 'This invention relates to Water reaction or socalled hydrojet motors which operate on the principle of ejection of water by way of direct gas expansion. .Such motors which utilize the reaction force obtained in this way to produce the thrust for the water vehicle, are known. i

In the methods known hithertosthe water-intake operation is controlled by valves, which are opened during the filling operation by the pressure head of .the rearwardly flowing current and are closed after the filling operation by the pressure of the expandinggas. This =type of control member has the disadvantage that with the repetition or ejection-p1ilse frequencies desired it necessitates relatively :slow closing and opening because of the .rnass of the member and is subject to vibrations which impair rapid and satisfactory filling of the water pipe.

The above-mentioned technical disadvantages of this water control are removed according to the invention by the feature that the water control is so designed that movable control parts are avoided. The valve action is based on the fact that the incorporated flow members have very different resistances, according to whether they are approached from the front or the rear.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic axial cross-sectional view through a hydrojet engine embodying the invention;

FIGS. 2a-2c are views similar to FIG. 1 showing other modifications of the engine;

FIG. 3 is an axial cross-sectional view through another engine having rotary ejection chambers;

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3A3A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of another engine embodying the principles of the instant invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side-elevation view of the system of FIG. 4.

According to FIGURE 1 the combustion chamber 2, which is connected by way of ribs 3 with the water pipe or duct 1, is mounted in the front end of the water conduit or pipe 1. The supply of fuel and oxygen (i.e. combustible and combustion-sustaining substance) to the combustion chamber takes place via the conduits 4 and 5. At the rear end the combustion chamber is provided with an opening 6. After the filling of the duct by the travelling water current, the mixture in the combustion chamber is ignited, the fuel gas thus generated entering the water pipe through the opening 6 and accelerating the water piston or ram in the travelling direction. The discharge or" the expanding combustion gases in this direction at a constriction of the duct preferentially drives the water column to the right (FIG. 1).

In FIGURE 2a is illustrated a water-reaction motor with a valveless control in which the water pipe 1 is connected directly to the combustion chamber 2. Supply of fuel and oxygen to the combustion chamber is effected via the conduits 3 and 4. The combustion chamber 2 is connected with the main water pipe 6 by way of ribs 5. The main water pipe 6 is filled by the travelling current, whilst the water pipe 1 is fed with water from the rear, owing to the reduced pressure which is set up in the pipe 1 after complete expansion of the working gases. After ignition of the fuels, the water column present in the pipe 7 1 is ejected against the travelling direction and the quantity of water located in the main pipe 6 is accelerated at the same time. The reaction force produced thereby is utilised as thrust force.

According to FIGURE 2b a plurality of part water pipes with combustion chambers may be arranged in series in the main water pipe 6. 1

According to FIGURE 2c the arrangement is so made that different part water pipes withcombustion chambers are arranged'in parallel inthe main water pipe 6.

FIGURE 3 showsan arrangement, in which the water pipes .1 are arranged perpendicularly to the travelling direction .and are rotatably mounted.

The fuel gases, which are generated in a separate combustion chamber, are supplied via the hollow shaft 2 rotatably mountedzin the walls of the water pipe 1. The gasareceiving expansion .chamber is provided with an opening 3 and is set in rotary motion by way of any desired drive 4. As shown, a plurality of such water pipes :may be provided, which are then set inrotary motion by a common drive 4. The water .pipe 1 is filled with water by :the travelling current through the opening 3. After rotation of the water pipe 1 through the fuel gases are allowed entry to the water pipe by means of a control device of any desired kind, and the quantity of water present in the water pipe 1 is ejected backwards against the travelling direction through the opening 3 and the active force thus produced is utilised as thrust force for the drive of the vehicle.

FIGURE 4 shows a valveless water control, in which a throttle elbow 2 is joined to the front end of the water pipe 1. The supply of Water is effected by the conduit 3, which opens centrally into the side of the elbow 2. The combustion chamber 4 for generation of the fuel gases is situated between water pipe and throttle elbow projection. The water is supplied for the filling of the water pipe 1 by the travelling current by way of the pipe-line 3. After the filling operation the fuel gases are by means of an appropriate control allowed admission to the water pipe 1. Through the expansion of the fuel gas the water piston situated to the rear is accelerated against the travelling direction, whilst the mass of Water accumulated in the front is set in vortex rotation in the throttle elbow 2, so that discharge of the water via the pipe line 3 in the travelling direction is avoided. The active force produced by the acceleration of the mass of water against the travelling direction is absorbed in the system as a reaction force or thrust force for the drive. These types of water controls have the advantage over a valve control, that they exclude movable control elements and thus accelerate the operation of filling the water pipe, and through the dispensing with movable elements allow higher filling frequencies for the water pipe, quite apart from the lack of mechanical faults as occur in valve controls through the high mounting stresses. Rapid filling of the water pipe and high frequencies of the filling operation lead to increases in the performance of this type of motor. Moreover, through the doing away with movable control elements, high operating pressures and temperatures are made possible, which allow both increase in the performance and in the efficiency of the engine.

. I claim:

1. A water-reaction engine comprising an elongated duct having a water inlet at one end and a water outlet at the other end thereof; means forming a combustion chamber communicating with said duct and restricting mixture of water with combustion gases therein produced by reaction of a combustible fuel and a combustion-sustaining substance in said chamber to drive water contained insaid duct outwardly therefrom through said outlet; and blocking means including said inlet at said one end for interposing a water barrier between said combustion chamber and said inlet for restricting the efilux of water from said duct through said inlet upon discharge of water from said duct through said outlet by combustion gases produced in said combustion chamber, said blocking means including a conduit forming said inlet and entering said duct transversely to its major dimension, and an annular circulation compartment at said one end of said duct communicating tangentially therewith for establishing a water vortex in said compartment upon discharge of water from said duct by said combustion gases, thereby preventing the efilux of water through said compartment.

2. A water-reaction engine comprising an elongated duct having a Water inlet at one end and a water outlet at the other end thereof; means forming a combustion chamber communicating With said duct and restricting mixture of water with combustion gases therein produced by reaction of a combustible fuel and a combustion-sustaining substance in said chamber to drive Water contained in said duct outwardly therefrom through said outlet; and blocking means including said inlet at said one end for interposing a water barrier between said combustion chamber and said inlet for restricting the efilux of Water from said duct through said inlet upon discharge of Water from said duct through said outlet by combustion gases produced in said combustion chamber, said blocking means including a conduit forming said inlet and entering said duct transversely to its major dimension, and an annular circulation compartment at said one end of said duct communicating tangentially therewith and communicating centrally with said conduit for establishing a water vortex in said compartment upon discharge of Water from said duct by said combustion gases, thereby preventing the efilux of water through said compartment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,412,825 12/1946 McCollum 11513 X 2,522,945 9/ 1950 Gongwer et al 249 X 2,696,077 12/1954 Goodman 6035.6 3,005,310 10/1961 Reder 6035.6 3,024,598 3/1962 Saurer 60-39.8 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 440,593 5/1912 France.

589,726 6/ 1925 France.

783,962 3/1935 France.

952,033 11/1949 France.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

ABRAM BLUM, SAMUEL LEVINE, Examiners.

W. A. SCHUETZ, A. L. SMITH, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A WATER-REACTION ENGINE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED DUCT HAVING A WATER INLET AT ONE END AND A WATER OUTLET AT THE OTHER END THEREOF; MEANS FORMING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID DUCT AND RESTRICTING MIXTURE OF WATER WITH COMBUSTION GASES THEREIN PRODUCED BY REACTION OF A COMBUSTIBLE FUEL AND A COMBUSTION-SUSTAINING SUBSTANCE IN SAID CHAMBER TO DRIVE WATER CONTAINED INSAID DUCT OUTWARDLY THEREFROM THROUGH SAID OUTLET; AND BLOCKING MEANS INCLUDING SAID INLET AT SAID ONE END FOR INTERPOSING A WATER BARRIER BETWEEN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMEBR AND SAID INLET FOR RESTRICTING THE EFFLUX OF WATER FROM SAID DUCT THROUGH SAID INLET UPON DISCHARGE OF WATER FROM SAID DUCT THROUGH SAID OUTLET BY COMBUSTTION GASES PRODUCED IN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID BLOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A CONDUCIT FORMING SAID INLET AND ENTERING SAID DUCT TRANSVERSELY TO ITS MAJOR DIMENSION, AND AN ANNULAR CIRCULATION COMPARTMENT AT SAID ONE END OF SAID DUCT COMMUNICATING TANGENTIALLY THEREWITH FOR ESTABLISHING A WATER VORTEX IN SAID COMPARTMENT UPON DISCHARGE OF WATER FROM SAID DUCT BY SAID COMBUSTION GASES, THEREBY PREVENTING THE EFFLUX OF WATER THROUGH SAID COMPARTMENT. 